Cruel Story of the Shogunate's Downfall (幕末残酷物語)

TOEI FILMS, LTD

June the 5th, first year of Ganji. The sword fight at Ikedaya Inn. The Shinsengumi killed 7 rebels, and took another 23 as hostages.

It's over!

So, that's the Shinsengumi.

Jidai-Geki Buyer's Club Presents: Cruel Story of the Shogunate's Downfall (Bakumatsu Zankoku Monogatari)

Executive Producer OKAWA HIROSHI

Screenplay by KUNIHIRO TAKEO Planning by: TAMAKI JUNICHIRO OKADASHIGERU AMAO KANJI

Photography: SUZUKI JUHEI Lighting: INQUEYOSHIKAZU Music by HAYASHI HIKARU Art Direction: TOMITAJIRO

Ass't Director SUZUKI NORIFUMI Make-Up: HAYASHI MASANOBU Hair Stylist: MAIO SHIGEKO

OKAWA HAS H IZO -ENAMI SABU RO-

KAWARAZAKI CHOICHIRO FUGI JUNKO UCHIDA RYOHEI

HAKATA TAN KAI CHIBA NOBUO HARADA KOJIRO SUGA KANTARO KAGA KUNIO ABE KUSUO

YAMAMOTO RINICHI KATAOKA EIJIRO AOKI YOSHIO OGATA NAKANOSUKE

HODAKA MINORU AKASHI USHIO KAMISUGHI TAKAYA TACHIKAWA SAYURI

HORI MASAO NAKAMURA KINSHI KATO HIROSHI TSUKIGATA TETSUNOSUKE

TOKITA KAZUO FUJIMOTO KINNOSUKE SHIIOJ AKIRA SEKINE EIJIRO

NAKAMURA MITSUKAZA WAKINAKA AKIO ANDO HAJIMA MIMATSU TSUYAKO

KOJIMA KEIKO MURATA DAISAKU KAGETSU RYOICHI HATANO HIROSHI

NISHIMURA KO KIMURA ISAO NAKAMURA TAKEYA

OTOMA RYUTARO

Directed by KATO TAI

Who are you?

Please listen to my request!

Please let me join the Shinsengumi!

My name is Enami Saburo,

and I came from Yamato to join the Shinsengumi!

Please let me join...

On June 6...

...the vagrants got together outside of the prison,

and they tried to start a riot.

But the Shinsengumi took immediate action,

and we narrowly avoided having a riot.

I appreciate your quick action.

We didn't have any trouble, because the Shinsengumi were there.

I will pray for your success and happiness.

Sincerely, on June 8, Ganji 1,

Prime Minister, Tomoe Tadafusa

Please let all the members know about this letter from the Imperial Court.

YES! -YES! -YES!

Well, according to this letter from the Imperial Court...

the Shinsengumi's top member will be a retainer of the Shogun.

Yamanami-san, it's nonsense!

We just caught vagrants.

Do you think those in the Bakufu (Tokugawa Shogunate)

will waggle their tails for us?

Kondo-san,

you'd better tell the Shogunate straight.

The Shinsengumi have high hopes.

We could even take over the Shogunate!

Yamazaki!

Sorry I'm late!

At the front gate, a young man who wants to join wouldn’t leave.

Very well.

Tell that young man to be at the Sanjo Bridge tomorrow!

Notice: the Shinsengumi are hiring new members. Place: Shinsengumi Headquarters. Time: 12 noon, june 10, ganji year 1

Thank you for coming in this hot weather.

I'm sure everybody saw the bulletin board at Sanjo Bridge.

As you know, we are going to hire new members.

Please relax and listen to what I have to say.

We'll see your sword skills, and whoever can defeat

three men will be hired as a temporary member.

And after that,

you will challenge Shinsengumi Master Instructors:

Okita Soji, Nagakuru Shinpachi, Todo Heisuke, Harada Sanosuke.

We will make our decision after you fight these four men.

By the way,

you must use a wood "Bokken" instead of a bamboo "Shinnai"

Leader!

Be quiet!

Listen!

You may be killed if you're unlucky in a match with "Bokken",

but the Shinsengumi do not need any weak men...

...not even one!

By the way,

the judge is Master,

Saito Hajime.

I will be the judge.

My style is Shinto Mugen-ryu.

Well...

...does anybody want to start?

Anybody?

I see.

Nobody wants to challenge!

I, Otsuka Roshi, will challenge!

I'm a Sacchu ronin, from Satsuma. My style is Jigen-ryu!

Only one time, fight!

Hiraiba!

Hiraiba!

Saito, calm down!

Hey!

You!

- Can he stand up? - I think so...

...Saito!

Yamanami-kun,

maybe you should take a look.

- But, Leader... - Yamanami-san.

I will make the decision. Our Leader told me so.

Hey, you there!

What are you going to do?

Which is it?

Wait!

I will take him on!

But, he hasn’t won three matches yet!

He's already the same as having won three times.

After winning three,

he can challenge an instructor and become a new member.

I'm a Shinsengumi Master Instructor,

Okita Soji.

Bokushin Itto-ryo is my style.

Depending on how you fight against me,

you may become a formal member right away.

Oh, this is good.

How about it? Are you ready?

I hope so.

That's enough!

That's enough of killing!

Hey, Oishi!

We will continue!

Hey!

Come back here!

Come back!

Hurry up!

Sit down!

Hey, look!

His loincloth is falling down!

You didn't wet your pants, did you?

We don't want that to happen!

Hey, Hey! Nakanishi!

What do you want?

What is this?

He's still in diapers!

Hey, Hey!

Somebody please get some candy for this little boy!

Shut up!

Oh, are you angry?

Idiot!

If you don't like us picking on you,

You’d better improve your skill, and come back again!

Damn it!

Sure you look like a samurai,

but you don't even know how to use a sword!

You quack!

- You’d better drop dead! -Shut up!

Damn!

Hey...!

Oh, are you going to perform Hara-kiri?

This will be fun...

Go ahead, do it!

I'm telling you, we're not going to stop you!

We don't feel sorry for a man who kills himself out of anger.

You're wrong!

I'm not killing myself because I'm angry.

I will commit suicide because,

I put myself in an embarrassing position and I am so ashamed.

Very well.

Just watch...!

I will show you arrogant people what Hara-kiri is all about!

Oh, don't move!

If you move, you'll be in pain.

It wasn't too bad a wound,

because you had the good luck charm of Mount Narita.

Where am I?

This is the kitchen in Shinsengumi Headquarters.

That's enough!

Hey, are you in pain?

You are unbelievable!

I still can't believe you committed Hara-kiri...

...but I like your guts.

I'll tell you the truth,

I did the same thing a long time ago when I was very angry!

Here, take a look!

By the way,

you better be happy because Kondo-san said,

if you want to be a member so badly,

he will give you his special permission to join.

- Is that true? - Yes!

The Shinsengumi's purpose is to catch those who use the

Emperor as their excuse,

and keep them from disturbing peace and order!

That is to say, the Shinsengumi will protect

Sonno, Sabaku,

and of course, the Emperor!

To do so,

we must get rid of the ronin who use the Emperor's name as

their symbol, and try to achieve their own needs!

From this day,

you must work hard for me and the Shinsengumi!

This is it!

Now, let me ask you for each members name.

Hotta Seisen!

Morifuji Matajiro!

Enami Saburo!

Aihara Gengo!

Nomura Koroshin!

Well...

Shinsengumi General, Yamanami Keisuke.

Vice-General, Hijikata Toshizo.

1st Commander, Okita Soji.

2nd Commander, Nagakura Shinpachi.

3rd Commander, Saito Hajime.